The Detroit Lions secured the NFC North title and the top seed in the conference by defeating the Minnesota Vikings 31-9 in the final game of the NFL’s regular season. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs had an outstanding performance with 139 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, as well as 31 yards receiving and another score in the air. Quarterback Jared Goff also played well, completing 27 of 33 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, despite throwing two interceptions. The Vikings struggled on offense, especially in the red zone, scoring only six points in four trips inside the 20-yard line.
The first half of the game was a defensive battle, with both teams combining for only one touchdown. After Gibbs scored in the first quarter, the Vikings managed to cut the lead to 7-6 with two second-quarter field goals. The Lions ended the first half with a field goal of their own to make it 10-6. However, the second half belonged to Detroit, as Goff led the team to a touchdown on three consecutive possessions after throwing an interception on the first drive of the quarter. Minnesota could only manage a field goal, missed another, and punted while trailing by two scores.
The Lions finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, an improvement of three wins from the previous season. They will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after earning an opening-round bye. On the other hand, the loss was disappointing for the Vikings, despite improving their record by seven wins from the previous season. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who started in place of injured rookie J.J. McCarthy, threw for 35 touchdowns but struggled in the game against the Lions. The Vikings will begin their playoff schedule on Jan. 13 against the Los Angeles Rams.
In other NFL news, the wild-card round matchups are set for the upcoming weekend. Teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Rams will be competing in the first round. The Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs secured the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences and will have first-round byes. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the AFC South with a victory over the New Orleans Saints and received a strong performance from wide receiver Mike Evans.
The Denver Broncos clinched a playoff spot with a 38-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, who rested most of their starters with the No. 1 seed secured. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix had an impressive game with 321 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The New York Jets defeated the Miami Dolphins 32-20 in what could potentially be Aaron Rodgers’ final game. Rodgers threw four touchdowns, bringing his career total to 503 regular season touchdown passes. He became the fifth player in NFL history with more than 500 regular season touchdown passes, joining the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre.
